Brockwell United – a grassroots football club for women and non-binary players – have launched their new kit to mark the team’s fifth anniversary.
Founded in Brixton, the club has its roots in Brockwell Park and the park’s famous nesting swans forms their logo and embodies the team’s loyalty and commitment on the pitch.
Brockwell United’s mission is to empower women and non-binary players by inspiring a love of football – especially in beginners or returners to the sport who were either bullied out of the game at a young age, or forced to stop due to the lack of opportunities and facilities.
The Swans aspires to be the friendliest club in London and has implemented a ‘Removing Barriers to Entry’ commitment, to encourage more women and non-binary people to get into the sport. BUFC is truly focused on the game, not the competition – never running trials or inductions based on ability – as the club believes anyone can be, and has the right to be, a football player.
The new kit is exclusively sponsored by MOMA Foods and pays homage to the classic football shirts of the 90s with the collar and geometric shapes in the shorts. The running players are carefree and liberated, something which the team want all their players to feel when playing football. Brockwell Park’s swans and the team’s motif, translates into the new kit with the colours white, grey and orange.
Brockwell United’s Chair, Ellie Levitt (she/her) adds: “For us, football is about community and providing a safe space, something which women and non-binary people don’t always experience with football. The new kit is hugely important to the club and represents that community spirit and empowerment as well as our growth – first starting out as a small group of friends to celebrating our fifth birthday and being one of the biggest South East London grassroots football clubs, with 80 players.
“The kit launch also celebrates all things South East London, from our sponsor through to the launch venue – we take pride in supporting our local businesses and community and couldn’t think of anywhere else more fitting to take photos of the new kit than at the iconic Champion Hill, the home of Dulwich Hamlet FC. As we see interest in women’s football at the national and local level continue to grow, we hope moments like the Women’s Euros tournament will inspire the next generation of women and non-binary people to see this as a sport for them – we will be waiting with open arms.”
The kit was designed by illustrator, Donatella Esposito (she/her), whose work takes inspiration from growing up in the South of Italy, surrounded by shells, sea treasures, flowers and ceramics. She said: “The Swan’s focus on participation in football for women and non-binary people made me rediscover the sport and drove me to create images of movement, positivity and togetherness. With minimal use of bold lines and colours, we wanted to capture the joy within the act of playing football. The crowds on the sleeve represent the celebration of grassroots football and the supportive community and fans which comes with it.”
Katherine Lambert (she/her), MOMA’s Assistant Brand Manager adds: “As a business with our roots firmly in South East London, we’re delighted to announce our sponsorship of Brockwell United, and really excited to see the new kits in action. Brockwell United’s inclusive mission to get women and those from the LGBTQ+ community playing football at all levels is something we are really proud to be supporting, and we hope to pick up some footballing skills ourselves along the way!”
The team recently celebrated the launch of the new kit and their fifth birthday at Champion Hill, the event was supported by the Dulwich branch of Yard Sale Pizza.
